


Reality Is So Much Better

by tabbytabbytabby



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: College Student Stiles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, M/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-25 00:32:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10752981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Stiles often imagined how he would react when he finally saw Derek again. None of those scenarios come close to what happens when Derek shows up at his apartment in Washington, D.C. 4 years after leaving Beacon Hills.





	Reality Is So Much Better

**Author's Note:**

> I really had no intention to write this but I've been dealing with a cold for the past week and needed something to distract me and make me feel better. Plus, these two have just crawled their way into my brain and won't leave. Any mistakes are my own. Like I said, I'm sick so there probably are a few I didn't catch. I also wasn't sure about the tags for this one so if something needs to be added feel free to let me know.

Stiles had a lot of time to think about what would happen when he finally saw Derek again. Not if, when. He might not know when it would happen but he knew they would cross paths again one way or another. How that reunion would go was a whole different story.

In some scenarios Stiles yells and rages at Derek for leaving them behind, _him behind_ , getting out years of pain and bitterness in that one moment. They’d talk after that, preferably leading to them admitting their feelings for one another and other sexier things. This is Stiles' imagination after all.

In other scenarios Stiles turns and walks away, or runs, depending on how he’s feeling that day. Not quite ready to face the man. Until eventually Derek tacks him down and they talk. 

In a few rare scenarios Stiles cries and throws himself at Derek, hugging him before he has a chance to leave again. Those are Stiles’ least favorite and are usually reserved for the days when Stiles misses Derek the most. 

None of those scenarios come close to capturing what actually happens when Derek finally reappears in Stiles’ life. Stiles is alone in his apartment when a hesitant knock sounds at the door. Stiles curiously makes his way over to the door, sure he wasn’t expecting anyone. He hadn’t had a chance to order his pizza yet so that couldn’t be it, not unless his favorite pizza place hired a psychic and knew Stiles was craving pizza. Maybe his roommate decided to come back tonight after all and just forgot his keys again, it wouldn’t have been the first time. 

He’s surprised, however, when he opens his door to find Derek standing there. In some ways he looks the same, with his signature leather jacket and scruff. In other ways he looks different, more at ease than Stiles ever remembers seeing him, and Stiles sees what suspiciously looks like a sweater under the jacket. He would have to investigate that later. Derek also looks a little unsure, as if he doesn’t know if he’s welcome here. Which is fair. He did leave for 4 years with very little contact. There's no telling how Stiles could react.

Some of times Stiles imagined this happening he would slam the door in Derek’s face, either out of anger or just shock at seeing the man again. Now though, actually faced with the real live Derek standing in front of him, Stiles doesn’t think he could ever turn Derek away. Being at college the past 2 years, away from the chaos of Beacon Hills, Stiles can understand why Derek needed to get out. Sure, the anger might have still been there if Stiles himself would have stayed and given the town more of a chance to harden him. But seeing Derek now, no longer looking like the weight of the world is on his shoulders, Stiles knows leaving was for the best. For both of them.

So instead of doing any of those things he imagined, Stiles simply steps aside and lets Derek into his apartment. He waits until they’re both inside with the door closed behind him before he speaks. He might have a better understanding of why Derek left now, but Stiles still needs to say it. Better to just get it out there now. “You left.”

Derek doesn’t look away. He just looks at Stiles head on and nods, ready for whatever Stiles decides to do. “I did.”

“Now you’re here.”

“I am.”

Stiles tilts his head, studying Derek more closely now that they’re inside. “Why? Why now?”

Derek just shrugs, as if what he’s about to say is something he would easily admit every day. Maybe it is now, for this Derek. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” Stiles smiles and rubs his hands together. Derek might be here now but Stiles still has plans, and those plans involve food. “Now are you hungry? I was just about to order pizza. We could eat and catch up?”

Derek’s answering smile almost throws Stiles with how easy and genuine it is. “I’d like that.”

They eat their pizza and talk. Derek tells Stiles about the places he’s been and the time he spent with Cora’s pack in South America. How she finally convinced him to get therapy, which he has been doing regularly these past few years. How he feels better now than he has since the fire, all the pain and guilt no longer a constant in his life. Derek admits that it was his therapist that suggested he look Stiles up because of how often Derek talked about him. Stiles smiles at that and tells Derek he’s glad he took his therapists advice. Stiles, of course, asks Derek how long he plans to stay. To which Derek replies “As long as you want me to.”

Stiles laughs and knocks his should with Derek’s, which is new but already comfortable. “Careful there, I might just want you to stay forever.”

Derek smiles and takes Stiles hand, squeezing it. “That wouldn’t be so bad. This place does have really good pizza.”

“So you’d stay just for the pizza?”

Before, Derek might have ducked his head when he spoke. Now though, he looks Stiles right in the eyes when he says “Maybe for more than the pizza.”

They talk more, until they both eventually fall asleep cuddled up on the couch. When they wake up Stiles makes them both breakfast and ask Derek to get lunch later when Stiles is finished with his classes. Derek agrees. Now when Stiles imagines a future with Derek he pictures kisses and nights spent cuddling on the couch, and usually a bit more. He might be older now, but he is still Stiles and Stiles will always want Derek any way he can have him. Once all of that finally happens, Stiles starts picturing bigger things like them moving in together. Then as the years go on and their relationship evolves that progresses to them getting married and building a life together. Stiles knows he is good at imagining things, but with Derek reality is always so much better.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed. Kudos/comments always make me happy. <3  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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